


Not in a Weird Way

by radiowrittenheart



Category: Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero
Genre: Awkward first time sex, Dorks in Love, F/M, Fluffy, Non-Explicit Sex, Smut, Teenage Heroes Being Regular Kids, i need to go to therapy for this ship, i'm fandom trash someone throw me in the garbage, jesus christ people they're teenagers and there's consent does it really count as underage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-05-22
Packaged: 2018-03-21 16:11:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3698657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radiowrittenheart/pseuds/radiowrittenheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Through thick and thin, Penn and Sashi have always been there for each other. Since they had first met, when they ventured into the part-time hero gig, and now, throughout the brief time they've been dating, it's an instinct for them. Stay by one another's side, have each other's back, it's how they work.</p><p>But after one typical date night, a few extra minutes was all it took to make them grow closer than ever before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. let's get these teen hearts beating - faster, faster

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ruff_ethereal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruff_ethereal/gifts).



> I thank Mimzie for the title idea, but I blame her for the encouragement. Oh, well, she should know I'm dragging her to therapy with me. Anyway, this is a piece of fandom trash because that's what I am.
> 
> ...did I call this story "fandom trash"? I meant to say it's smut with dorks- OH JUST READ IT.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> -listening playlist if you wish-  
> • Accidentally in Love by Counting Crows  
> • Sidekick by Walk The Moon  
> • Kiss Me Slowly by Parachute  
> • Want To by Sugarland  
> • All That by Carly Rae Jepsen  
> • Talking Body by Tove Lo  
> • Closer by Tegan & Sara  
> • Kiss Me by Ed Sheeran

_Sashi always handled things with finesse and fierceness, all in one. Almost like a predator hunting prey, but in the end, depending on the victim, she would manage it in different ways. It was just in her nature. With Penn, she always seemed to have a new trick up her sleeve, and that was something he would never get tired of, no matter how hard he tried and not even if he wanted to._

_They just didn't expect tonight to be that way…_

The television was on, but it was muted, with some stupid old sitcom playing. The apartment was unbelievably quiet, with the only sound being faint laughter and murmurs. The room was dimly lit with a pale lamp's light, and the soft laughs and whispers came from none other than Penn Zero and Sashi Kobayashi - two teens who were simply enjoying each other's company by cuddling on the couch, talking amongst one another, bouncing one topic off of the other… and maybe stealing a few kisses while doing so.

Sashi let out a sigh, and stared up at the ceiling. "What do you think is beyond Middleburg?" she said.

Penn lightly chuckled. "Whoa, Sash, you're getting a little deep there, aren't you?" he teased.

With a playful roll of her eyes, she gently swatted him on the arm. "I'm serious," she retorted. "We've lived in this town our whole lives. When have we left? Once in a while for a family vacation or school trip?"

"So what are you saying?" Penn mused, with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not 'saying' anything," Sashi argued. "I'm thinking out loud, that's all. It's weird, don't you think?"

"I guess a little," he replied. "But then again, we also go to different universes everyday. Maybe small suburb living is good for us."

"There's still potential, though," she declared.

There was a moment of silence as Penn brushed her hair out of her face, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Well, then maybe someday we'll get out of here," he joked. "Run away and never look back."

Sashi grinned. "I'm more partial to a road trip," she said.

Penn gave a halfhearted shrug. "Or that," he assured.

This was simple serenity; just the both of them, talking about anything that came to mind. Earlier, perhaps the topics were a little more loose, but leave it to Sashi to bring something more serious into the fray. Of course, Penn would go with the flow; while he knew his girlfriend was a woman of action, he knew she didn't mean they should pack up right now and leave. After all, she had clearly made that point just now - but they had the right idea.

Maybe. Someday. Thinking. Potential. They were all words of what if's and why not's. More often than not, the two of them did think things through before they acted. It was how they always saved the day and made their way to victory. It was how they worked.

But to be honest, right now, all Penn was thinking about was how cute Sashi was when she was laughing as he kissed her.

She lightly slapped his cheek as she shook her head. "You dork," she teased. In fact, she was about to continue jokingly insult him but he cut her off with another kiss.

"I know, but I'm your dork," he murmured. "And, your dork has gotta get out of here."

Sashi raised an eyebrow, stealing a glance at the clock. "It's only ten," she murmured. "You don't even have a curfew."

Penn placed his lips on hers again, ignoring her statement. He got up from the couch, and took her hand, placing a kiss there too. "Come on, Sash, you've had me since seven," he said, with a laugh. "Besides, I kind of don't want your parents or brother coming home and teasing us or whatever."

"Actually," Sashi gave an apathetic shrug. "My parents are working late and my brother's at a friend's house until tomorrow. You could stay a little longer, if you want."

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Penn said, as his lips twitched at a smirk. "Love ya."

Sashi returned the half smile, half smirk, but only she could truly pull it off. "Love you too," she murmured.

However, she was a bit perplexed when Penn simply let go of her hand, and began to head over to the door. This summoned Sashi to clear her throat rather loudly, causing her boyfriend to look back, obviously a little confused.

"No goodbye kiss? I must say, Penn Zero, you aren't acting much like a gentleman," she joked, in a serious tone of voice.

"Come on, Sash, you've had plenty of kisses," Penn playfully shot back.

Still, she rolled her eyes and huffed, crossing her arms as she slumped back on the couch. He had to admit, she always did look very cute when she was frustrated. So he figured, what the heck, and returned next to her, but she scooted away from him, turning away. So, she was playing that game with him. Well, two could play at it-

-and typically, Penn was one to play fair, but just this one time, he'd bend the rules.

Quick as a flash, his hands shot out, and made their way for Sashi's midsection, and she shrieked, trying to fight away, but Penn had already won just as he started. He knew she was ticklish, and he was using that weakness against her.

Anyone else, she would have punched square in the jaw, yet obviously, Penn was a bit immune to her violence.

"I asked for a kiss!" she protested.

"And you're getting it!" he said, with a laugh, as he finally let up on the tickling and took her face in his hands, gently kissing her one last time for the night…

...or so he thought.

He should have seen this coming. It was a usual Sashi move; she could manipulate, or rather - sweet talk, people when she wanted something from them. That was one thing Penn didn't get a get out of jail free card on. She pulled him on top of her, snatching a few more kisses from him, and his only response were a few soft laughs as he obviously didn't protest.

"You can stay a little longer," she teased.

"You're the worst," he murmured.

"I know," she said, with a familiar glint in her eyes.

And here they were again, tangled together on the couch, kissing and gently laughing. But now, there was no talking, and maybe things were heating up just a little. Penn gently placed his hand on her hip, keeping Sashi down, which she didn't mind too much, and she occasionally separated their lips from their kisses so she could look at him adoringly, tracing her fingers along his jawline. Tonight was nice; a little more than nice. Their date was the usual, simple and sweet, now they were hanging out together at her apartment.

Making out usually wasn't one of their top priorities in their relationship but it certainly was fun - and okay, so yes, Penn knew that his girlfriend was no model. Nonetheless, he always thought she was beautiful. Especially now. Sashi had always been tiny, which sort of put an adorable look for her, and being one of the few people of color in Middleburg made her exotic. But he was never attracted to her because of her looks. She was more than that, and he knew it. She was endless potential and powerful strength wrapped in a mystery with a dash of unexpectedness.

 _That_  was why he loved her.

Yet now… this had to have been one hell of a dream he didn't want to wake up from. He had never gotten past second base with her, and truth be told, he would never push her into anything-

-but this could just be heat of the moment.

"S-Sash," he stammered. "Hey, um-" He cleared his throat. "You okay?"

"Of course," she whispered. Her brown doe eyes were shining, and she was smiling, not even the slightest bit fazed by the fact  _she was making out on the couch with her boyfriend and they were only sixteen years old and she was wearing nothing but a thin long sleeve and her leggings_ -

Penn gulped, and tried not to focus on the sight in front of him. "Well, should we…?" he asked.

Sashi was suddenly the one to freeze up. "If you want," she said simply. "I - I was only-" Her entire face lit up with a blush of humiliation, and she clammed up.

"You're fine, really," Penn assured. "Is that why you wanted me to stay?"

She bashfully shook her head. "I - I just… wanted you here," she admitted. "I didn't think-"

Penn found it adorable how she was the one nervous and stammering for once. "Do you want to?" he asked. "I'm only going to if you're cool with it."

He knew her. She really wasn't serious about …  _this_ , was she?

"Yes," she replied, sitting up slightly so she could press their foreheads together. "I love you. I've trusted you with my life, Penn. This is simple, compared to all of that."

"Okay," he murmured. " _Okay_."

Well, this was a surprise. But a pleasant one nonetheless. She wanted to try things; and he was more than comfortable with it.

...screw intuition. Just for a few minutes.

He placed his lips on hers again, and Sashi swung her arms around his neck, pulling him in closer. It took a moment of hesitation, but he placed a hand on her thigh, gently making his way up. Meanwhile, Sashi was tugging on Penn's t-shirt, as a silent plea. Their kiss broke apart for a moment as he slid it off. Their appearances were so drastically different, he realized. She had her light caramel skin, chocolate colored eyes, and straight brown hair with it's bright highlights. He was pale as the moon, with bright sky blue eyes and out of control red hair.

"The couch isn't really-" she began. Was that a stammer he caught in her tone of voice?

"Is your room-" he asked.

She nodded, and Penn placed one quick last kiss on her lips before stuffing his t-shirt in the back pocket of his jeans and picking his girlfriend up in his arms. Sashi had to admit, for someone with such a skinny form, Penn was definitely strong. And to be honest, Sashi wouldn't let herself swoon over something so silly, but it did feel nice to be swept off of her feet, figuratively and literally. They were too busy stealing kisses to really focus on anything else; what time it was, if maybe this was a bad idea, the consequences, they were young and in love, which was a precious gift. In fact, Penn didn't even need to look up to check where he was going; he had been in her apartment so many times, he knew it like the back of his own hand.

He slightly stumbled while managing to carry his girlfriend and kiss her at the same time, while closing the bedroom door behind them - and making sure to switch the lock. Then, the two of them found themselves collapsing on her bed, running their hands all over each other while clumsily stripping down to almost nothing. Penn found himself slightly struggling with Sashi's leggings, and she almost laughed at it, but she was too busy kissing him, and tangling his hair. For now, they were still on the border of making out. They could stop right now, and go their separate ways, if they really wanted.

But they kept going at it; tangling their bodies together, feeling each other's skin, stealing all sorts of kisses anywhere they could reach-

-until Penn froze when he felt his girlfriend's hands traveling down to his waist.

He pulled away from her, looking at her sincerely. "Do you think I know what I'm doing?" he stammered. "Because I don't. Seriously, I have no idea how this works. I mean, I know the main idea just-"

Penn was cut off when Sashi placed a quick kiss on his lips.

"Rambling," she noted.

"R-right," he said. "I just-"

Sashi held his face in her hands, and took a moment to look into his eyes. Those blue eyes, she had stared into them so many times, knowing that she could trust this boy with anything. Secrets, promises, everything in between. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that she could place herself in his hands, and he'd keep her safe, like he always did. This was a very big step, but then again their relationship was even bigger.

"Together," she declared. "Like a hero and a sidekick."

"Got it," Penn murmured.

"I'll even help you," Sashi assured. "Like always."

Penn couldn't help but smile at that. Then, he went back to tracing his fingers along her barely noticeable curves, and hesitated when he reached her bra. He had to admit, the clasp looked daunting. How did girls fasten those things on everyday? He pulled at it for a minute, and tried to move the fabric parts of it, but nothing happened. He glanced up to Sashi, who rolled her eyes, and took off the undergarment in one swift move that he would have missed if he had blinked. But either way, it was just the right amount of quick, because before Penn knew it, her bra was on the floor, and he accidentally found himself gaping at her chest. To anyone else, she wasn't much to look at, but for him, he thought she was perfect.

Sashi cleared her throat, causing him to bashfully grin as he glanced up at her.

"Uh, s-sorry," he spoke up. "You're just… wow. Gorgeous. I - I mean-"

"-I'm not an object, Penn," she mumbled.

"I'm not saying that," he assured. "I'm saying that- well-" Of all the times he couldn't be good with words, it had to be now. He wanted to confess that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on, and her spirit definitely matched her looks, and he loved both equally along with so many other things that made up who she was-

-his train of thought was broken when she laughed, and gently kissed him.

"I was kidding," Sashi said.

"Oh," Penn stammered, with a nervous smile. "Y-yeah. Right."

She shushed him, and they shared a brief smile before they quickly locked lips once again. Sashi began to reach down for a second time, but this time, she looked at Penn, with a raised eyebrow.

"You won't spaz out on me this time?" she asked.

"I didn't spaz-" He stopped when she raised both eyebrows and pursed her lips. "It's all good."

"Okay," she said, with a gentle sigh.

It took a minute for Sashi to build up a bit of composure, but she pulled down Penn's boxers quick, like a band-aid. Just get it over with, there was nothing to be squeamish about, he was her boyfriend and let's face it, she'd probably see it someday, tonight was as good as anytime-

-and she couldn't help the soft "oh" slipping past her lips when she finally looked at it.

Gossip in the girls' locker room before and after gym class at school caused Sashi to overhear things about how boys should be a certain size, and he needed to do specific things, and that was what determined if he was good or not. So far, in Sashi's eyes, Penn had been doing everything right, and as for his size… well, it wasn't like she had anyone to compare him to. But she didn't want to, either. He was all she wanted right now.

"It's rude to stare," Penn teased.

"Shut up," Sashi playfully shot back, pulling him in for a kiss. She stifled a gasp when he came a little too close, brushing against her, snapping her into reality that this was really happening. They were only teenagers, but were they really going to go all the way with their relationship?

Most couples waited years, or until engagement or marriage-

-well, to hell with all of that.

They both wanted it, and Sashi didn't even say a word as Penn pulled off her underwear. He was so slow, so gentle, as if he touched her too hard, she'd break into a million pieces like a porcelain doll. Of course, she knew he didn't think of her that way, he was simply being chivalrous. After all, this was going to be their first time, and there was no romantic music, candles or any other cliche stereotypical mood-setting things.

But that was okay. All of it was beyond okay.

Now, here they were. One last step, their eyes were locked, they weren't kissing, they just stared at one another.

"Um, uh-" Penn stammered; and for a moment, Sashi thought he was backing out, but instead, he blurted out a word she didn't even think of until now. "-protection?"

Her eyes went wide. Of course he'd bring that up. Good thing she was always one step ahead of him.

"I take the pill," she assured.

"Wait… because you've-?" he mumbled.

"No!" Sashi said, perhaps a little too loudly. "I - I-" She cleared her throat. "When we started dating, my parents got paranoid and put me on it. They didn't have much faith in me, I guess." She laughed, as if it were a joke, but was really now the time for explaining stuff like that? "Turns out I needed it after all."

"Oh," Penn replied, as he awkwardly hovered above her. "That makes a lot of sense." In a way, it sort of did. Besides, that was stupid of him to almost ask, if she had done this sort of thing before. Sashi had just turned sixteen a few months ago, he was her first boyfriend, and she was not  _that_  type of girl. God, he could be such an idiot sometimes. "S-sorry about that. I just wanted to, y'know-"

"-get pretty close to killing the mood?" she retorted.

Penn let out a groan, all the while smirking. How typical of him. "Yeah," he said.

Sashi playfully rolled her eyes. "Well, that's why I love you," she murmured, letting him lean down and kiss her softly.

He brushed a few strands of light brown hair from her face, and his smirk melted into a smile. The things this girl did to him. "Love you too, Sash," he whispered against her lips.

They stayed like that for a while, just laying there against each other; only inches away from officially sealing the deal of their actions-

-until Sashi managed the smallest nod. "You can go ahead," she confirmed.

With his own quick nod, Penn gently held her face in his hands as he kissed her while moving in closer. She gave him a bit of help, by grabbing his shoulders and pulling him in closer. Once they connected, he let out a strangled sound of mixed emotion, most likely pleasure, while she hissed. Sashi's hands were shaking as she held onto Penn's shoulders, trying to adjust to this strange, new feeling of being so close to her boyfriend. She had to admit, it didn't hurt like she had expected, but it was nonetheless an odd sensation, mixed with the realization that this was actually happening.

"Hey… Sash?" Penn said softly, taking her hands and holding them in his own. "You okay?"

It took a moment but Sashi finally managed to release a deep breath that caused her to float back down to Earth, and she managed the smallest nod as she slightly sat up, gently placing her lips on his.

"Move," she whispered.

"We don't have to, if you don't want to," he assured, once again.

"I know," she said simply.

It was clear to see there was no protest from either of them, so with a hesitant stammer, Penn tried moving against Sashi, who released a gentle gasp as they became even closer, if that was possible. Her gasp shifted into a brief moan, and her brown eyes fluttered close, but they shot open once a little more force was applied in their movements. Sashi bit her bottom lip, and decided to let her mind go on autopilot for once, instead of always analyzing every possible move and action of what could and couldn't happen-

-well, what  _was_  happening right now, it was something she knew that either of them could have ever guessed. How long had they been dating? A few months? A little over half a year? For most teenagers in relationships, that wasn't very long, but they had known one another since they were children. They had years of trust built up in one another.

Emotions of every sort ran through the two of them; nervousness, delight, a hint of passion, contentment and uneasiness. It all mixed together into something unique, and quite irreplaceable.

And to be honest, on the other side of things, Penn didn't quite know what to expect when it came to this sort of thing. He had to admit, he was like any other teenage boy, he fantasized about this situation from time to time, but it was more or less in glimpses, there was no detail. Now, here he was, with his girlfriend beneath him, and her reactions, the way she acted, it was driving him crazy-

While he moved against her, with maneuvers he wasn't one hundred percent sure about, he placed his lips on her neck, biting and kissing her the way he knew she always liked. Hard enough to make her shiver, but light enough to not leave a hickey.

In response, Sashi let out the faintest mewl, followed by a sigh; which had to have been the cutest noise Penn ever heard. She wasn't exactly loud, but nor was she unresponsive. Moans, heavy and labored breaths, his name slipping past her lips and her nails slightly digging into his back as she held onto him; they were all signs of encouragement and approval. This was the way it went with them; how their whole relationship worked, a hint of aggression mixed into something much sweeter… and of course, they were the unexpected moments, like tonight, right now, how one simple date night had spiraled into something neither of them would ever guess.

It was almost mesmerizing, how they moved together. They knew each other's actions before they were even made, and there were no surprises, but it all felt unique and new. What a strange paradox; knowing what would happen in a current, fleeting situation.

But this was one hell of a situation for them.

With every second, something new happened, and Penn was definitely taken by surprise when Sashi looped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a fierce kiss that was as fiery and wild as she was. Her fingers managed to loop their way through his ridiculous curls, and while she kissed him, she took his lip and slightly tugged on it. He had to admit, this was new for his girlfriend; she was usually gentle when it came to romance-

-that wasn't to say Penn was complaining, though.

Sashi pulled away from the kiss to catch her breath, and in doing so, she looked up at him; how he was half smiling, with his eyes fixated on nothing but her, there was a small bead of sweat on his forehead, his reactions to their movements together were soft grunts and even quieter murmurs, and if she had a proper mindset, she would laugh at him for blushing, yet everything flooded into her mind and all she could do was place a kiss on his jawline, while trying to find words.

She barely managed to finish saying a simple "I love you" when Penn cut her off with his own moan, which was a bit loud and it surprised the both of them, but especially Sashi. She grinned and breathlessly laughed as she gave him another kiss on his lips.

As their synchronized, yet also spontaneous, actions became a little more erratic, the bed gently creaked under their combined weight and somewhat spastic movements. They were moving somewhat on instinct and the other half trying to control with how they thought this sort of thing worked. After all, they were virgins, still exploring unknown territory, and apparently finding the legendary treasures.

Needless to say, these treasures were amazing, indescribable and beyond priceless. Sashi almost let a curse word slip out, but instead, it was cut off with a groan that caused her voice to crack, so Penn kissed her in the middle of it, sending a very pleasurable shock through her nerves. They had both heard of many stories about sex, how it was supposed to be, what they had to do, but all of that went out the window right now. This was perfection, unfathomably wonderful, for the two of them.

Their first time, it was unexpected but beautiful.

"Sashi-" Penn muttered.

She smirked how the only incoherent word he could form was her name. It filled her with a sense of pride, love and joy, knowing for sure that she was his matchless girlfriend. And of course, for her, she knew without a doubt, no one could ever replace Penn. As cliche as it might have sounded, he meant the world to her; she'd do anything for him, and with him. Including something as amazing as this.

She draped a single finger over his lips, and her smirk didn't fade away. "Don't ruin the moment," she teased.

Penn's grin was lopsided, smitten and Sashi almost wanted to playfully smack that smile off of his face, but she was too overcome with a sudden tightening rush coursing through her mind, body, veins, nerves, soul, and everywhere else. Yes, this whole experience had been invigorating and mesmerizing, although this was something definitely new. Then again, judging by the way her boyfriend was slightly shaking against her, Sashi guessed that Penn was feeling the same way. He took both of her hands yet again, weaving their fingers together; tan against white and her nails with their chipped nail polish digging into the tops of his hands. It stung him a little, but the pleasure overwon the pain.

When a flood washed over Penn, he nearly fell on top of Sashi, who suddenly let out a somewhat loud moan, mixed in with a light squeak of surprise. They were really one now; closer than close. All of that pent-up energy in their passion and love for each other finally dwindled down into a smooth release, one that left the two teenagers breathing heavily and looking at one another as if everything had changed-

-and it most certainly did.

With a sigh, Penn collapsed next to his girlfriend and Sashi immediately cuddled in next to him, catching all of the breath she had lost in these few fleeting minutes and gazing up at him in a whole new way. All he could was smile back at her. She whispered his name against his skin, and dug her fingers into his violently curly hair, lightly tugging on it. Penn gently laughed when she let out the softest moan, pressing her forehead against his. Sashi had never looked more beautiful than she did now, with her hair falling in front of her face, and her eyes faded and glowing seemingly at the same time.

This was the simple yet blissful aftermath, and she was catching her breath, still lost in euphoria and surprise that all of this had just happened. All she could do now was kiss him again, but much more easily this time around. The passion had slowly faded away, now it was simple love, adoration and heart-warming realization that this boy meant everything to her. Penn's klutziness diminished a while ago, and now, he was gentle and easy and sure of every move he made. He held her face in his hands, tracing his fingers along her jawline, and smiling at her every chance he got.

"W-wow, you're beautiful," he murmured.

"Flattery won't get you anywhere," she muttered.

"That's funny," he mused. "It just got me everywhere."

Sashi let out a soft laugh, and wrapped her arms around Penn, snuggling closer to him. She placed a kiss on the crook of his neck, reaching out to take his hand so she could intertwine their fingers one more time. It was late, the exact hour she wasn't sure, but it didn't matter. He should have been home a while ago, she should have let him leave, but whatever it was; fates' design, dumb luck or heat of the moment, it seemed that neither of them regretted it.

"Penn?" she whispered.

There was no reply, except for a light incoherent mumble. Sashi tried not to laugh as she noticed her boyfriend slowly dozing off. It took a moment, but she found a way to sneak her way out of his grip without disturbing him. She propped herself up on one arm, and placed a kiss on his forehead. He stirred slightly, but not enough to slip out of his slumber.

"You dork," Sashi murmured, twirling his curls around her fingers. "Love you."

She grabbed her comforter, lifting it over them as she flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling with the dumbest, most smitten smile. If Sashi had seen her own reflection, she would have thought herself as the dork, but now was now and that was what mattered to her.

A sigh of contentment slipped past her lips, and she turned on her side, closing her eyes to catch a few moments of sleep-

-yet Sashi was suddenly startled as Penn pulled her back in for another cuddle.

His breath was warm, even if it sent chills up her spine. Of course, it was a good kind of chill, just like this whole night had been- and she softly laughed when he placed a kiss on the side of her neck.

"Love you too, Sash," Penn mumbled. "G'night."

She was  _so_  thankful that he couldn't see her blushing right now.


	2. we may only have tonight but 'til the morning sun, you're mine - all mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised an epilogue, and here it is!

The sun barely crept in between the blinds of the small room, providing a little warmth, but obviously doing it’s job of awaking those who only desired a few moments of rest. A few rays pierced certain spots, and of course, the moment Penn rolled over, the sun killed him right in the face. He groaned, and grabbed the blanket to pull it over his face-

-this wasn’t his quilt-

-this definitely wasn’t his room-

-it took him a moment to shake off the drowsiness but a loud snore suddenly woke him up. He yawned, and stifled a laugh as he noticed the sight lying next to him. Sure, his arm was going numb, and it was kind of gross that there was drool on the pillow, but either way, Penn knew that his girlfriend could never not be pretty.

Even if she was snoring like a freight train.

“Sash,” he whispered, gently nudging her. “Sashi. Wake up.”

An incoherent mumble slipped past her lips, and she tightened her grip on him, continuing to cuddle into him. Penn wasn’t sure if Sashi was asleep or not; and maybe any other boyfriend would let her sleep but dammit she weighed more than she looked and his skinny body could only take so much. He wanted to shove her off, yet he had some respect… that, and he knew how fierce she could be when disturbed from her beauty sleep.

So desperate times called for desperate measures-

-he picked up a pillow and lightly smacked her in the face with it. A sound of annoyance slipped past Sashi’s lips and she instinctively reached out to slap whoever it was that dared to wake her up-

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Penn teased.

“There’s nothing good about mornings,” Sashi mumbled. However, she did manage a soft sigh and a small smile when kisses were placed along her neck. “But at least you’re here.” She rolled over, wrapping her arms around her boyfriend in a gentle embrace.

Penn chuckled. “At _least_?” he asked.

“You know what I mean,” she retorted.

He gently nudged her, pulling her in for a gentle kiss on the lips. However, when they pulled away, Sashi nearly burst into a fit of laughter. She covered her mouth to keep quiet, but Penn was definitely perplexed by her sudden amusement.

“What? What is it?” he asked. He raised an eyebrow when he took a good look at her, and his eyes widened.

This whole time, Sashi hadn’t taken her glasses off once. They had kissed so many times when she left the specs on, she hadn’t thought to remove them last night. Creases were all along her face, as well as his, due to an impact of all the kisses they had shared only a few hours ago. Penn couldn’t help but bashfully smile as his girlfriend playfully smacked his cheek.

“You look ridiculous,” she said in between those adorable, high-pitched giggles that she was always embarrassed of.

“You don’t look much better yourself,” he joked.

Although, despite his comment, Penn brushed Sashi’s hair out of her face, removing her glasses and reaching out to place them on the bedside table.

“I don’t have my contacts-” she argued.

“-don’t care,” he said, cradling her face in his hands when he softly kissed her.

Sashi managed a sigh, and her breath caught in her throat when Penn’s hands made their way across her body. He was obviously playing catch-up from last night; gently tracing her slight curves, slightly massaging her shoulders, his touch whispering along her skin everywhere all at once. This time, there was no focus on anything in particular, they were simply enjoying the morning after an unexpectedly passionate night. He was treating his girlfriend how she deserved to be treated, and she certainly wasn’t complaining.

“How many times do I have to tell you that you’re beautiful?” Penn muttered against her lips.

A breathless laugh escaped Sashi. “You’ve said it enough,” she assured. She grinned and smirked while tilting her neck to the side in order to let him kiss her neck. However, her face screwed up in confusion when she looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table. “Penn… what time is it?”

Glancing over to look at the glowing neon green numbers, he shrugged. “Quarter after six,” he replied. “Why do you-”

He looked down at her, and she gave him the same shocked expression. It was morning. They were still at her apartment. Their night together was over. Reality had came up and slapped them both awake; which meant that their action instincts had kicked in. Whatever romantic bliss they had been stuck in was gone as they both tumbled out of bed, grabbing their clothes and quickly dressing.

“Should I use the fire escape?” Penn whispered.

“Too loud, and it’s in George’s room, which also makes it too risky if he’s home,” Sashi mumbled.

“You can’t expect me to go out the front door-” he argued.

“My parents aren’t awake yet,” she snapped. “If we’re quiet, I can get you out of here.”

“Sash, we’re gonna get busted,” he hissed.

“With an attitude like that we will,” she declared. “Now, mission escape my apartment, go.”

Sashi unlocked the door, and shoved Penn out of her bedroom. Granted, this wasn’t their smoothest approach to anything, but it was better than nothing. They crept through the living room, wincing and freezing at the slightest noise, but they eventually made it to the door.

“Don’t take the elevator,” she said softly. “It’ll take you forever and-”

Sashi was cut off as Penn pulled her in for another kiss; but she had to admit, this one might have made her head spin, just a little. She grabbed his shoulders to push him away, yet instead, she melted into it … for just a minute. Once in a while, Sashi wanted to kick herself when she submit to silly things like this, how one certain way Penn could kiss her would make her dizzy and disorientated; which was so unlike her. She really should have punched his stupid, cute face in- but nah. She kissed him back, counting the seconds that passed- one… two… three…

… there was a noise that alarmed both of them. Sashi didn’t even manage a goodbye as she shoved Penn away from her, and closed the door right in his face.

He was probably going to give her hell for that later, but he’d understand.

“Hey-” Sashi froze up when she noticed her brother shuffling into the room, half-asleep and still in his t-rex pajamas. “It’s not time for Saturday cartoons yet, is it?”

“Uh, um-” she stammered.

She had just snuck her boyfriend out of the apartment, and her innocent ten year old brother was asking about cartoons. Finally, Sashi managed to shake her head, and without another thought, George turned around and went back to his room.

A deep sigh escaped Sashi and she was thankful that for once in his life, her stupid little brother didn’t pry. She took a moment to compose herself, and then realized it was still early- and … shit. She had grabbed Penn’s flannel instead of her long-sleeve. Instantly, Sashi began unbuttoning it, and she wrapped it up in her hands as she made her way back to her bedroom. She fell down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. To be honest, after last night, it felt a bit weird to not have a pair of skinny arms cuddling her-

-yet that wasn’t to say she didn’t pass out almost right after her head hit the pillow.

 

**••••••**

 

Sashi was rudely awakened by someone poking her in the face. Repeatedly. She groaned, and reached out to smack whoever it was that dared to mess with her slumber, but when her hand made contact with something, the whine made her even more distressed.

“Ow! Mom! Dad! Sashi hit me!”

“Brat,” she grumbled, as she managed to get her eyes open and notice her brother running around in circles as if he was on fire. “Drama queen.”

George stuck his tongue out at his sister and ran out of the bedroom. “I think my nose is bleeding!” he yelled.

Sashi muttered a swear under her breath. “I didn’t even touch your face,” she called after him. But of course, he paid no attention to her - and after years of this sort of thing, it seemed that her parents either didn’t care or were apathetic about the situation.

As she rolled over in bed, Sashi untangled herself from her comforter and slid on her glasses.

**10:25 am** , the clock now read. It felt like she had just went back to bed-

-a light sigh escaped her as she remembered last night. And even though there was no reason to be embarrassed, a blush danced across her cheeks when she noticed that she still had Penn’s flannel clutched in her hands. So it wasn’t a dream. For a moment, that was what she seriously contemplated…

Out of the corner of her eye, Sashi noticed her phone on the bedside table blinking. She reached out, and squinted at the screen. Just one phone call, from Penn, of course. Who else would call her? There was only one message, so she figured she might as well listen. Pressing play and placing her phone back on the table, Sashi rolled over and laid on her back.

“ _Um… hi,_ ” Penn stammered.

Sashi playfully rolled her eyes. Of course he’d start a message that way.

“ _Look, Sash,_ ” he said, with a sigh. “ _I know I didn’t get to say any of this last night, or before you kicked me out of your apartment, but that’s whatever. I just wanted to know I love you. And I know, I know, you’re probably rolling your eyes or something, thinking I’m stupid and sappy, but hear me out, okay?_ ”

There was a moment of silence, a second for Sashi to purse her lips in thought and pay attention.

“ _Hopefully, you didn’t delete the message by now,_ ” Penn continued. “ _Anyway-_ ” He paused, and for a second, she almost thought he had hung up. “ _-You mean everything to me, Sashi. You’re not just one of my best friends, or my sidekick, and you’re way more than a girlfriend. I love you like crazy, and last night was … weird. I - I don’t know, maybe that’s the wrong word to describe it. It was a good kind of weird, y’know? Like I didn’t think it would happen, but it did and it reminded me of how much I really do love you. It’s been, what, seven months since we started dating? Not that long, right? But you know I had a crush on you for a while before that. I know you didn’t like me back at first, but thank you for giving me a chance. Thank you for being the person who keeps me from walking into walls half of the time. Thank you for being you._ ”

There was no way she was crying over a stupid phone message. Those weren’t tears in her eyes, and she definitely wasn’t smiling like a lovestruck fool.

“ _Sashi Kobayashi, you’re the kind of girl who can take down a monster with her bare hands, but if you look at me… I - I don’t know. I’ve always seen you as beautiful. That’s all I’m saying. And last night only proved my point even more. I’ve started loving you a while ago and I know I’m going to stop anytime soon,_ ” Penn declared, as he let out a chuckle. “ _Um, if you heard this whole thing, I know you think I’m lame. And stupid. And an idiot._ ”

That was the end of it. Sashi choked out a laugh, and she couldn’t believe herself. How was she acting like this over a dumb recording of her boyfriend saying the sweetest things she had ever heard? She didn’t even like romantic gestures, and this was by far one of the sappiest things Penn had ever done… but she appreciated it and loved it so much. As corny as it was, every possible emotion of love and happiness was pulsing through her soul. She couldn’t even register a proper thought as she dialed Penn’s number.

One...

...two…

...three rings- and it went to voicemail.

Sashi didn’t even bother paying attention to his silly message, and when the beep went off, she released a deep breath and said the only words that came to mind.

“I got your message,” she said simply. “I- well…” She sometimes wished she could muster the ability to be romantic too. “I love you too, Penn. I really can’t say it enough, a-and-” Great, his stupid stammering wore off on her. “-you’re an idiot, and a dork, but you’re mine. Guess that’s why we’re together.”

She hung up, a little ashamed she couldn’t have been as sweet as he was, but she was certainly surprised when her phone buzzed. Another call, not surprisingly from Penn.

The minute she picked it up, he was the first one to speak up.

“Sash? I got your call but not your message.”

“It wasn’t important,” she replied.

Really, compared to his, it wasn’t. God, she was an idiot. She felt inferior almost.

There was a pause, and she could hear the smile in his tone of voice. “Look out your window,” he said.

Sashi froze. “What?” she asked.

Penn chuckled. “You heard me,” he declared. “Go to your bedroom window.”

Rolling off of the comfort of the mattress and blankets, Sashi shuffled over to her window and her jaw dropped at what she saw. Penn was standing by the curb, leaning up against a hot rod that was no doubt stolen from the Odyssey’s garage. He was smiling up at her like a fool, and she shook her head in disbelief.

“Penn Zero, explain this,” she said.

“Last night, you said you wanted a road trip,” he replied, saying it breezily, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. “You’ve got fifteen minutes.”

A sigh of contentment slipped past her lips as she ran a hand through her hair, still looking down at him, and he was gazing up at her with complete adoration, a softer version of last night. The line went quiet, the only sound being the two of them breathing; obviously thinking of what to say.

“I love you,” Sashi finally managed.

“I know,” Penn said. “I love you too.”

Sashi hung up the phone, and waved down to him. Obviously, like the dork he was, Penn waved back.

Once more, whatever was happening, she wasn’t going to stop it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end. Whatever happens on their road trip is up to you. Don't think I'll be making that a fanfic anytime soon, because I've got ten million other projects to do but hey, who knows?
> 
> Comments are greatly appreciated.


End file.
